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Five Fun Ways to Experience the Cuyahoga Valley National Park

May 8, 2015

Low on Tech, High on Fun

by Lexi Robinson-Hotchkiss

That swift rush of pride you feel when reach the summit of a
daylong hike. Or, the serene calm you experience when gently bobbing in a kayak
on a lake.

Somewhere along the line, we all forgot that vacations are
meant to help us escape from the everyday humdrum of life, mind-numbing computer
screens and your constantly pinging smartphone.

Located approximately 20 miles outside of downtown Cleveland
sits one of the country's most treasured slices of natural escapism: The
Cuyahoga Valley National Park [CVNP].

The national park, which encompasses more than 33,000 acres
of federally protected land, can keep you busy for days.

Whether you're a sucker for camping under the
stars or someone whose bucket list includes bird
watching in a National Audubon Society designated Important Bird Area, the CVNP
is ready to provide that respite from the insanity of your day-to-day life.

Here are five fun ways to explore the CVNP:

1. Hiking

Some people consider a jaunt around
the block to be a hike. Others keep their hiking boots and outdoor gear next to
the front door.

Anyway you like it, CVNP has more
than 125 hiking
miles. So, the chances of you finding one that fits your interests and
experience level are rather likely.

Before long, you'll be witnessing
the gorgeous Brandywine Falls, standing on the overlook at Tinker's Creek Gorge
or exploring the ancient rock formations at Ritchie Ledges.

2. Canalway Questing

So, you've probably heard of
geocaching. Well, CVNP in conjunction with the folks at the Ohio
& Erie Canalway, offer a unique, fun
and easy way to explore the national park - detective style - without having to
figure out GPS devises and other techy gismos. (Remember, we're trying to avoid
technology on this vacation?)

It's called "questing" and
it only requires these three low-tech items:

1. A pencil

2. A brochure from the series

3. Comfortable shoes

Easy enough, right?

In short, participants use the
brochure to follow rhyming clues and a curious map to help them locate and log
into a hidden box. This hidden box contains a stamp for your questing map. When
you're done using the stamp, you simply replace for others to find.

Available April 15 - Nov. 15,
questing provides an incredibly easy way to explore various parts of the CVNP. There are almost 40 different questing
adventures to follow taking you through the park's natural and cultural gems
along the way. This is great for newbies who just don't know where to begin
their explorations.

3. The Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail

If you're in the middle of planning
an adventure trip to Cleveland, you probably keep hearing about the Ohio & Erie
Canal Towpath Trail. What's all the hubbub about?

This multi-purpose trail, which
runs more than 85 miles between Akron and Cleveland, offers runners, walkers
and bicyclists an incredible opportunity to combine physical activity with
miles and miles of natural beauty.

The Towpath follows the Ohio &
Erie Canalway, which is once where mules pulled goods between two metropolitan
cities. And, about 20 miles of the Towpath are through the CVNP.

Biking is particularly
popular on the Towpath, although surfaces and terrain can vary a bit. Many
enjoy walking, while others enjoy the areas that permit horses. Click here to
learn a bit more.

There are 48 trailheads
throughout the Towpath. That means you won't have a hard time finding a place
to enter. But, it's always a good idea to map your plan of
action in advance.

If you're looking for something a
little unique, considering biking the trail within the CVNP in one direction,
then pick up the Cuyahoga
Valley Scenic Railroad for a ride (with bike in tow) back to your original
location.

4. The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad

While there's all that crazy active
stuff you can do to explore the national park - we admit - there are some of us
who just want to see nature from inside a temperature-controlled motorized
vehicle.

Board this vintage train (ADA
accessible) for incredible vantage point of a national park as you zip through
meadows and valleys with onboard guides pointing out natural gems, interesting
wildlife and other information along the way. Honestly, it's a pretty great experience offering an
uncanny perspective.

The train line was constructed in
1880 when steam engines transported coal from Canton, Ohio to Cleveland. While
trains between the two cities are no longer needed along this line, the
railroad still exists.

The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
offers a bevy of tours and special offerings. Some of our
favorites include Bike Aboard!,
which allows bicyclists on the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail to board the
train with their bikes for a ride back to their original departure stop.

5. Summer Events at CVNP

Having a national park right in your backyard doesn't simply mean great
hiking all year round (although, that's a pretty sweet advantage if we do say
so ourselves). CVNP offers all sort of fun events and activities for the whole
fam this summertime. Wanna do 108 sun salutations in a gorgeous open meadow?
Done. Feeling like dancing to live salsa, merengue, mambo and Latin jazz music in a national park?
Check. Chef prepared farm-to-plate dinner on a berry farm? Got it Visit a
series of free art exhibitions within the Cuyahoga Valley? Yep, that too.

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